In recent years, techniques of various types have been proposed for assisting safe traveling by a moving body such as a vehicle or the like. Among techniques of this sort, there is a technique of evaluating the possibility of collision between a vehicle in a blind spot and the subject vehicle from an image that is reflected in a traffic mirror (refer to Patent Document #1, hereinafter termed “Prior Art Example #1”). With the technique of the Prior Art Example #1, a traffic mirror is recognized according to an image thereof, and a body in a blind spot is detected on the basis of an image of the surroundings reflected in the traffic mirror. And, the possibility is evaluated of a collision between the blind spot body that has been detected and the subject vehicle.
Moreover, there is a technique for determining upon the existence of a traffic mirror in the direction of progression of the subject vehicle (refer to Patent Document #2, hereinafter termed “Prior Art Example #2”), although this is not a technique for evaluating the possibility of a collision between a blind spot body and the vehicle. With the technique of the Prior Art Example #2, irradiating light is emitted in the direction of progression of the subject vehicle. And, a reflected image in the reflected light is captured, and a decision as to the presence of a traffic mirror is performed upon on the basis of the result of image capture.